Fonds F 165 - Otto and Sophie Herbster fonds

Otto William Herbster was born on February 27, 1898 in Stetten, West Germany to Rudolph and Emma (Ging) Herbster. After completing high school, he trained as a blacksmith and machinist in Germany. In 1921, Herbster married Anne Hauser. They had three children: Kurt; Annaliese and Elfrida. In October 1927, Herbster immigrated with his wife and son to Canada, where they settled on a farm in the Baynes, Saskatchewan district. Several years later, the family moved from the farm to seven acres of land near Whitewood.

In 1933, Herbster started a well digging business and dug hundreds of wells in and around Whitewood. After Anne Herbster's death in 1938, Herbster married his second wife, Sophie Mueller, on November 2, 1940, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Otto and Sophie Herbster established a pig farming operation on their farm, Hurricane Hill Top Farm, where they resided until 1979, when they sold their farm and moved into Whitewood. Otto Herbster died in Whitewood on May 16, 1986.

Sophie Louise Mueller was born on April 25, 1901 in Illingen, West Germany to Karl and Sophie (Boger) Mueller. In July, 1915, she immigrated with her mother to Missouri, United States of America, where she studied English and worked as a housekeeper/nanny. She then returned to Germany briefly before moving to New York City. She married Otto Herbster on November 2, 1940 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Sophie and Otto Herbster resided on a farm near Whitewood, Saskatchewan. Sophie assisted her husband with his well digging and farming operations. The Herbsters retired from farming in 1979 and moved into Whitewood. Sophie Herbster died on July 10, 1991. She had three step-children: Kurt; Annaliese and Elfrida.